New space odyssey

It's heartening that the government is looking again at manned space travel (Revived after 50 years, January 4). In the 1950s the British space programme was second only to the Russians, ahead of even the Americans in terms of the advanced technology used. We are the only nation ever to send a satellite into space, then lose that ability. Our space programme was cancelled due to cost and the technology sold to the French. If you watch Sky TV, the satellite you are using was sent into space on an Ariane rocket - which turns a good profit for the French government. The full story of this scandal is only now emerging as documents are released under the 30-year rule.

As a science educator I know that space is one topic always guaranteed to excite. With the help of Guardian Unlimited, we've started a nationwide rocketry competition for kids called Rocket Mania. But it would be nice to have a British astronaut at the finals who did not have to adopt American citizenship to go into space. Jon LondonOut of this World Learning